Golf tee



Nov. 26, 1963 A. P. BENNETT GOLF TEE Filed 001;. 24, 1961 A/berf P.Benneff INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,112,111 GULF TEE Albert P. Bennett, 22043Giacony, East Detroit, Mich. Filed Get. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 147,230 4Claims. (Cl. 273-203) This invention relates to golf equipment, andparticularly to golf ball holders or tees.

Briefly, the invention comprises a tee support or base having a grooveformed in its upper surface whereby a plurality of tees of differentheights may be used by inserting their lower ends into the groovewhereby the base maintains the tees in a proper elevated position.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a golf tee comprisinga flexible mat or base which supports one or more upstanding teeelements in such a manner that the tee elements may be separated andreplaced in the base without requiring any skill or special tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tee assembly whichincludes a plurality of tee elements of different heights whereby anyone of the tee elements may be selectively used for teeing the ball atany desired elevation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tee assembly whichmay be used over and over again and having certain parts which may beeasily replaced.

It is another object of the invention to provide a golf tee which isportable, has means thereon for carrying it on a golf cart, and does notrequire insertion into the ground in order to be used.

It is another object of the invention to provide a golf tee assemblywhich rests upon the surface of the ground and has anti-skid means onits bottom surface.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tee assembly in use;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on theplane of line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view taken substantially onthe plane of line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a central portion of the tee assemblyon an enlarged scale and illustrating how the tees are assembled anddisassembled on the base of the assembly; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional plan view on an enlarged scale takensubstantially on the plane of line 55 of FIGURE 3.

As shown in the drawings, the tee assembly comprises a generallyrectangular base 12 preferably formed of some resilient material such asrubber or plastic. The base is preferably 8 /2 by 11 inches in size.Opposite ends of the base 12 are chamfered downwardly and outwardly asshown at 14 and 16.

A ridge 18 is formed on the upper forward surface of the base 12, andhas a flat upper surface 20 and sloping side surfaces 22 and 24. Aninverted T-shaped groove 26 is formed in the ridge 18. The T-shapedgroove 26 terminates in a slot 28 which opens into the central portionof the flat surface 20.

A plurality of tees 30, 32, and 34 are shown removably mounted in thegroove 26. As shown in FIGURE 4, each of the tees comprises a verticallyextending stem 36 preferably of circular cross-section mounted on a flatsquare base 38 and terminating in a frusto-conical cup or head 40 ofconventional design. The head 40 has a part spherical concave recess 42for receiving a golf ball 46 as shown in FIGURE 1. The tees 30, 32, and34 are of different heights and arranged in step-like fashion as shownin FIGURES l, 2 and 3. As shown in FIGURE 4, the tees are each mountedin the base 12 by inserting the tee base 38 into the groove 26 wherebythe stem 36 extends through the slot 28. The tee bases 38 are preferablyslightly larger than the bottom portion of the groove 26 whereby thesides of the groove frictionally grip the bases 38. Although three teesare shown mounted on the base 12, it is apparent that only one tee ortwo or more tees may be mounted thereon if desired. Also,

the tees may be of the same height if desired. The tees may be easilyremoved and replaced merely by sliding them in and out of the groove 26as illustrated in FIG- URE 4.

A circular opening or bore 45 is formed in the central portion of therear end of the base 12 for hanging said base on a golf cart. Also, thebottom surface of the base 12 is formed with integral downwardlyextending lugs or feet 44 for improving the frictional characteristicsthereof.

While the groove 26 has been shown as being formed in a ridge 18, it isapparent that if the base 12 is of sufficient thickness, the groove maybe formed in the body of the base without providing a ridge thereon.

In use, the tee assembly 10 is laid in a horizontal position on thesurface of the ground 48 and the golf ball 46 is teed on the proper ordesired tee 30, 32, or

34. Normally, the high tee 34 would be used for driving with a numberone wood While the central tee would be used for the higher numberedwoods. The lowest tee 30 may be used with the very high numbered woodsor any of the iron clubs. The feet 44 prevent the base 12 from slippingon the ground 48. When the golfer swings his club at the ball 46, it isquite possible that his arch of swing may be lower than anticipated. Insuch cases, the head of the golf club may strike the sloping surfaces of14 or 24 since these surfaces would normally face the rear of the teeassembly. When the club strikes these sloping surfaces, it is deflectedupwardly with a minimum loss of power and speed whereupon it mayeffectively strike the ball 46. Thus, it is apparent that the slopingsurfaces on the base 12 may actually improve the results produced by aninaccurate swing.

Of course if the tees become well worn or broken, they may be easilyreplaced in the manner explained above.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable golf ball holder comprising a generally fiat, rectangular,resilient mat adapted to rest horizontally on the ground, an integralridge extending transversely across the top of the mat at anintermediate point, said ridge and the mat having a generally invertedT-shaped groove therein open at both ends and communicating with andproviding a slot in the top of said ridge, and a plurality of removable,selectively usable tees of various heights slidably adjustably mountedin the groove and insertable therein from either end thereof, said teesbeing resilient and including generally square gases adjustably mountedin the groove and frictionally retained in adjusted position therein,stems on the bases extending upwardly therefrom through the slot, andcups on the upper ends of the stems for the reception of golf balls,said mat and said ridge comprising outwardly and downwardly PatentedNov. 26, 1963' 4 inclined ends and sides, respectively, for deflecting aridge being adjacent to but spaced from one end of the too-low club headupwardly toward a ball on any of the mat, said mat having a circularopening adjacent its tees for improving the execution of the stroke.other end for hanging said mat on a support.

2. A golf ball holder in accordance with claim 1, said mat including amultiplicity of spaced, integral, short 5 References Cited in the fileOf this Patent ground-engaging lugs (2x1; its undgrside for retainingsaid UNITED STATES PATENTS mat against s ipping on e groun 3. A golfball holder in accordance with claim 1, said mat having an opening inone end portion for hanging 2'713471 Hersch 1955 said mat on a golfcart' 10 3,038,726 Hesidence June 12, 1962 4. A golf ball holder inaccordance with claim 2, said

1. A PORTABLE GOLF BALL HOLDER COMPRISING A GENERALLY FLAT, RECTANGULAR,RESILIENT MAT ADAPTED TO REST HORIZONTALLY ON THE GROUND, AN INTEGRALRIDGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE TOP OF THE MAT AT ANINTERMEDIATE POINT, SAID RIDGE AND THE MAT HAVING A GENERALLY INVERTEDT-SHAPED GROOVE THEREIN OPEN AT BOTH ENDS AND COMMUNICATING WITH ANDPROVIDING A SLOT IN THE TOP OF SAID RIDGE, AND A PLURALITY OF REMOVABLE,SELECTIVELY USABLE TEES OF VARIOUS HEIGHTS SLIDABLY ADJUSTABLY MOUNTEDIN THE GROOVE AND INSERTABLE THEREIN FROM EITHER END THEREOF, SAID TEESBEING RESILIENT AND INCLUDING GENERALLY SQUARE GASES ADJUSTABLY MOUNTEDIN THE GROOVE AND FRICTIONALLY RETAINED IN ADJUSTED POSITION THEREIN,STEMS ON THE BASES EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM THROUGH THE SLOT, ANDCUPS ON THE UPPER ENDS OF THE STEMS FOR THE RECEPTION OF GOLF BALLS,SAID MAT AND SAID RIDGE COMPRISING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINEDENDS AND SIDES, RESPECTIVELY, FOR DEFLECTING A TOO-LOW CLUB HEADUPWARDLY TOWARD A BALL ON ANY OF THE TEES FOR IMPROVING THE EXECUTION OFTHE STROKE.